Tree spider tarantula. Tarantula spider

The tarantula spider is a large spider, the size of which, including its legs, can exceed twenty centimeters. Many exotic lovers keep these spiders in terrariums at home. Tarantulas belong to the arthropods, belong to the class Arachnida, order Arachnid, suborder Mygalomorpha and family of tarantulas.

What does a tarantula spider look like, its characteristics and structure

The tarantula is arthropod a spider that has an exotic appearance. He has big and fluffy paws and a very bright color, it becomes even more juicy after molting. Their body consists of an abdomen and cephalothorax, united by a bridge, covered with an exoskeleton made of chitin. Such a cover performs a protective function, protecting the tarantula from external damage; in addition, it retains moisture, and this is very important factor for species that live in arid regions. On the cephalothorax there is a shield - a carapace, on which four pairs of eyes are located.

The abdomen contains digestive organs and reproductive system, and at the end of the abdomen there are arachnoid appendages, there can be from two to six pairs. The birdcatcher has six pairs of limbs, including four pairs of tarsi, one chelicerae and a pedipalp. They use chelicerae to dig holes, they protect themselves and hunt with them, thanks to them spiders drag caught prey, they also have small glands that contain poison.

With the help of very thin and receptive hairs that are located on their paws, they distinguish different smells and sounds.

Their size. Basically it ranges from three to ten centimeters. But you need to add the span of the legs to the size; it can be twenty-eight centimeters. Their weight varies from 65 to 85 grams, but there are individuals whose weight is 150 grams or more, they live in Brazil and Venezuela.

All tarantulas, without exception, are poisonous. But the poison is not fatal for an adult, but for small animals it can be fatal. It is also very dangerous for small children and people who are allergic to spider venom.

Tarantulas do not use poison every time they attack; they can simply bite without using it. When a birdcatcher's bite is poisonous, immediately after the bite a very sharp pain is felt, the temperature rises and convulsions may appear.

On the body of the tarantula there are many hairs that are poisonous; with these hairs the spider protects its nest, entwining it with a web, also in self-defense or in stressful situations scratches his belly with them.

Gallery: tarantula spider (25 photos)

Habitat of tarantula spiders

Tarantulas can be found everywhere earthly balloon, except Antarctica. They live in African countries, in South America, Oceania and Australia are also found in Europe, but much less frequently than in other countries. Their European ranges are limited to Spain, Portugal and southern Italy.

IN wild In nature, tree spiders live on bushes and trees; they can also live in shelters that are located at ground level and in burrows. In addition, during development, their lifestyle may change: larvae that live in burrows eventually move to the ground. Some of the tarantulas give their preference to tropical and equatorial forests and semi-deserts.

Tarantulas that live in burrows dig them out on their own, after which they strengthen the burrows with arachnids. Tree bird catchers make special tubes from spider webs. Regardless of their mode of existence, all spiders move very little and make some movements only in cases of great need or danger.

How long do tarantulas live?

Females Tarantulas can live more than thirty years; they have no competitors among arthropods in terms of life expectancy. But males, when they reach reproductive age, immediately stop molting and basically die during the same year or immediately after mating with a female.

Tarantula nutrition

Tarantulas wait for their prey somewhere in shelters and do not catch them in spider webs. Contrary to their name, tarantula spiders do not eat big birds and can constantly feed and digest meat or poultry, so they mainly eat insects:

And an adult tarantula can eat small birds, frogs, various rodents, fish and snakes.

Types of tarantulas

On at the moment the family of these arthropods is divided into thirteen subfamilies, which have many species. Description some of them:

Reproduction of tarantulas

Male tarantula spiders are ready to reproduction much earlier than females. When the male reaches reproductive age, a cymbium appears on their pedipalps, this is a reservoir for seminal fluid, and tibal hooks are formed on the paws, which are needed to hold the female during the mating period. Before mating, the male begins to weave a web, after which he covers it with seminal fluid, and then fills the cymbium with it. When a male and a female meet, they conduct special actions, which confirm that they belong to the same species.

Mating may end in a few seconds, or it may last many hours. With the tibial hooks, which are formed on the front legs, the male holds the female’s chelicerae, and with his pedipalps he introduces his seminal fluid into her body. During mating, the female tarantula spider can eat the male, so after mating the male tries to escape.

After some time the female begins twist A nest is made from a web, where it then lays eggs; there can be from 50 to 2 thousand eggs. How many eggs a female will lay depends on her species. Then, from the nest made, the female forms a cocoon, which is round in shape and contains fibers from the spider’s abdomen. The incubation period lasts from 20 to 106 days, during this period the female guards her cocoon and periodically turns it. If the female is hungry, she can easily eat the cocoon with eggs.

After some time they begin to appear small nymph spiders, which at first do not eat anything and live together. After the nymph molts twice, it turns into a larva, this larva looks like a spider, but, unlike a spider, it has nutrients in the belly. After some time has passed, the larva begins to molt and turns into a tarantula spider.

Molt plays big role in the life of a tarantula spider. After the spider sheds its exoskeleton, it grows approximately one and a half times in size and can even change color. Young spiders molt every month, and adult tarantulas molt once a year. When spiders molt, they lie on their backs, and in this long process some limbs may be lost, but they are restored during subsequent molts. How old a spider is can be determined by the number of molts it has.

Before molting, spiders may refuse to eat. Another sign of upcoming molting is the darkening of the abdomen or the entire color of the spider.

Tarantula spider at home

These spiders live in many homes, as they are completely unpretentious and can be bred at home. To prevent spiders from eating one by one, they must be kept alone. You should also follow some rules when content tarantula at home:

Today it is quite difficult to surprise with a rare pet. Many people take real pleasure in caring for rare species, amphibians, and other animals. Exotic views become a real decoration of any apartment and often even a member of the family. Didn't go unnoticed rare insects and arachnids. One of these species is the tarantula spider, the keeping of which at home is controversial. Arachnids are rare in the average apartment. In artificial conditions, the tarantula is mainly found in zoos or nurseries. Therefore, anyone who wants to place this spider in their apartment is faced with a lack of reliable information about it and necessary conditions for its content, which in this article we will try to provide to readers. In addition, we have to find out who the tarantula spider really is and whether it is dangerous to humans.

Description and photo

Tarantula spiders are large arthropods, some species of which reach a diameter of up to 30 cm, and the weight can be about 100 g. Its body is abundantly covered with hairs, which play a protective role in the life of the animal; in case of danger, it throws them out into the air.

When the hairs get on the skin of an enemy, they cause discomfort and allergies. The species is also capable of making hissing sounds, which helps it scare away hostile species.

The animal has 8 eyes, but its vision still does not differ in quality and sharpness, so the tarantula navigates its environment thanks to vibration. The species is poisonous, but the substance secreted by the spider is not dangerous to human health.

The natural habitat of the tarantula is the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Oceania, Spain, and Portugal. The species is able to live in various climatic conditions- both in the humid equatorial forest and in the desert, with complete absence moisture.
Representatives of the family, depending on their habitat, are divided into 4 types: arboreal, semi-arboreal, terrestrial and burrowing. Like other representatives of arachnids, the tarantula senses sounds and smells using the finest hairs on its legs.

Did you know?Despite its close resemblance to insects, the tarantula spider, like other spiders, belongs to the class of animals.

Representatives of the species live in shallow burrows or in rock cracks and tree hollows. The animal is a predator; its diet is dominated by small insects and spiders, small lizards and birds.

Many people who want to keep this animal ask the question of how long spiders live.
Tarantula spiders are distinguished by good longevity, their life expectancy reaches 30 years, so over time the animal will truly become a real member of the family.

Among the existing domesticated spiders, not many species are particularly popular. The most interesting and valuable for collectors are:

Spider in the house: pros and cons

Despite the popular belief that tarantulas are dangerous and aggressive, they are ideal pets and have many advantages over traditional pets.

First of all, for our latitude, a tarantula is something unique, exclusive and amazing to others. Having settled such an animal at home, be sure that you and your pet will be remembered for a long time.
Unlike cats and dogs, arachnids do not require much personal space. These animals are ideal for a small apartment, since a space of 30 x 30 cm will be sufficient for their habitat.

Also, house spiders will appeal to those who are accustomed to peace and quiet. In addition, this animal is clean and does not make noise. unpleasant odors and does not require daily walking, and also special attention from the owner's side. It is enough just to devote at least 15 minutes to it a couple of times a week.

The greatest advantage of arachnids is that their maintenance does not require large financial costs. An adult tarantula eats no more than a few times a week, and during molting, it generally refuses food for a fairly long period.
This is an additional advantage for this animal, since without remorse you can leave it alone and go on vacation or a business trip.

Did you know?Tarantula spiders are used to treat such psychological diseases as arachnophobia - fear of arachnids.

But tarantulas also have negative sides. This is, first of all, a poisonous animal that can fend for itself. If it is very displeased, it may bite or release poison-soaked hairs on its paws into the air.
Poison damage will not cause death in humans, but itching, allergies, burning, and in some cases temperature and fever are guaranteed.

Features of choosing a pet

In order to choose a healthy spider, you need to use several simple tricks that will help protect yourself from wasting money:

• the arthropod must be active and playful. In the case when the specimen you have chosen lies alone on the sidelines, is passive and constantly hides in the house, the animal is most likely sick, and you should not buy such a pet for home;
• A healthy spider's abdomen should be even and smooth. If the abdomen is wrinkled or there are other pathologies on it, the spider suffers from dehydration and may soon die;
• open wounds or ulcerative defects on the body of a tarantula are another reason to refuse to purchase such a spider;
• It is best to purchase small spiderlings, since it is almost impossible to determine the age of a tarantula by appearance;
• It is important to pay attention to the hairs that cover the abdomen. If they are not evenly distributed throughout the body or vary in size, the animal has health problems;
• the absence of paws in most cases is not a pathology, since they will instantly grow back after the next molt. This only means that the animal was not transported properly.

Important! When choosing a tarantula, you need to pay attention especially to females, since males do not have longevity and live several times less.

Housing requirements

In order to provide the house spider with comfort in an ordinary apartment, you will need to spend money on a terrarium.

This special container, like nothing else, will help create a comfortable microclimate in which the arachnid can not only feel worthy, but also delight its owner with longevity.

Dimensions

Specialized literature indicates that the average tarantula needs about 180 cm cubic personal space for comfortable living.
In addition, most professional zoologists keep this animal in exactly this amount of space.

But in order to get a rich composition that will delight the eye and soul, we still recommend keeping the spider in a large terrarium. In it you can create a whole own world for this animal.

But an excessively large vessel is not desirable for the spider, since living food will be hidden from it, and it will starve.

Important! The terrarium must be covered with a lid, as the tarantula can climb up the surface of the terrarium and escape forever.

Climate

Despite its unpretentiousness, the tarantula requires special conditions. The species is a tropical animal, so for its successful maintenance it is necessary to create a microclimate with high humidity and temperature.
The ideal condition would be an air temperature of about +30 degrees, but reducing it within +21...+25 °C will not have a negative effect on the spider.

The critical temperature will be +7 °C, as it can lead to the death of the animal. Therefore, the terrarium needs to be additionally heated, this is especially important in winter.

To maintain high humidity It is recommended to humidify the air in the terrarium several times a day using a spray bottle; depending on the type, the percentage of humidity can range from 70 to 90%.

Arrangement

In order to properly set up a terrarium for a tarantula spider, you first need to determine what species it belongs to (terrestrial, arboreal or semi-arboreal).
For arboreal and semi-arboreal spiders, the ideal option would be vertical terrarium, the bottom of which must be covered with a special soil made of coconut substrate, peat, sand, vermiculite and expanded clay with a layer of 1.5-2 cm. It is important to place a branch or part of a tree trunk in the vessel, along which the animal will crawl with pleasure.

For terrestrial species, you should choose a horizontal terrarium with a soil layer of at least 3-4 cm. In this case, to prepare the soil you need to use the finest fractions of vermiculite and expanded clay.

Also, terrestrial burrowing species need to create a shelter in which the spider will hide. Decor objects are chosen according to your own taste and preferences.

Did you know?Spiders, for no apparent reason, can completely refuse to eat food for a long period of time. In some cases, this period can last up to 2 years.

Features of care

Tarantula spiders are unpretentious in their care, but there are some secrets that we will talk about later. These, first of all, include features for cleaning the terrarium and care during the molting period.

Is it possible to pick it up?

It is not prohibited to pick up a spider; the main thing is to tame the animal so that it does not cause stress to it. IN under stress the spider may attack you and even bite you. Therefore, tarantulas need to be tamed gradually and immediately after purchase.
The animal must understand that you will not harm it; to do this, you must first gently stroke it on the back. Gradually, the pet will reach out to the hand and begin to climb on it. At this time, the main thing is to ensure that your pet does not run away, since in most cases the animal will disappear without a trace.

Shedding period

In order to grow, the spider must constantly shed its external skeleton. To do this, he gradually sheds it, this period is called molting.
Young spiders molt often; this physiological process is observed in them several times a month, but adults - no more than once a year. The main signs of previous molting are darkening of the color of the external skeleton, as well as partial loss of hairs and sometimes complete renunciation of food.

Often the old integument clings to the animal's hind legs, and they come off with it, but after some time the legs grow back.

Important!Helping the spider get rid of old outer coverings is prohibited, as you can harm the health of the animal and it will die.

Care accessories

Basic spider care accessories are fairly standard across all species. Among them are a thermometer, a hygrometer, a backlight lamp, an air heating lamp, etc. They provide an optimal microclimate for the animal and help control environmental conditions.
The most important role among them is played by the water heater. This device is capable of maintaining the required temperature and humidity in the terrarium around the clock, without which the animal could simply die.

It is also important to provide decent lighting; for this purpose, special terrarium incandescent lamps with a power of 15 to 25 W are used.

Cleaning the terrarium

If necessary, the habitat must be freed from food debris and waste products; for this purpose, special long tweezers are used, since introduction into the habitat can be accepted by the spider with aggression, the animal can rush and even try to bite. In addition, long tweezers will protect the skin from poisonous spider hairs. General cleaning in the terrarium is carried out once a week.

What to feed the spider?

The tarantula is primarily a predator, so he needs to constantly hunt. For this, the food must be alive; the main rule is that the victim must be at least 2 times smaller than the hunter. But it is best to keep the animal on a healthy diet.
So what do tarantula spiders eat anyway? Young spiders are fed preferably small crickets, cockroaches, flies, mealworms, etc.

Adults are fed with the same insects, but their size must correspond to the hunter. It is not worth feeding arachnids; the frequency of their food intake should not exceed 2 times a week.

A little about breeding

Most arachnids reproduce well in captivity. But it is not recommended to do this at home, since the process is quite complex and requires special skills and knowledge from the owner.
Spiders rarely live in pairs, so there is a high probability that when a female moves in with a male, one of them may be killed.

Can stimulate reproduction elevated temperature and humidity. After fertilization, partners must be separated. But even if you are able to get offspring, be sure that in the struggle for territory or food, the young addition may die from the enmity of its own mother.

The tarantula spider is a rather colorful and interesting pet. Keeping such a pet even in a cramped apartment is not difficult, but educational, in some cases it can become quite interesting experience. But you should not forget that the tarantula is, first of all, a real predator, which will not allow you to neglect respect for it.

A unique representative of the animal world is the tarantula spider. Photo giant spider It will terrify many. However, tarantula spiders began to be kept as pets. In general, these are cute creatures and no one can imagine another animal next to them.

Spiders...such familiar creatures to us. There are approximately 42,000 of them on our Earth. various types. They live on all continents, with the exception of the southern glacial continent - Antarctica. There are very small spiders, there are giant ones, there are harmless ones, and there are poisonous ones that can kill a person with one bite. We will talk about these mysterious and, at times, insidious creatures, namely the tarantula spider.

This spider belongs to the arthropod arachnids and is a member of the tarantula family, which is part of the order Arachnidae.

What do tarantula spiders look like?

It should be said right away that the females of these arachnids are larger than the males. The female’s body grows up to 9 centimeters, the male is slightly smaller – 8.5 centimeters. Sometimes spiders grow quite large - their size with open legs exceeds 20 centimeters!

The entire surface of the body, including the legs, is covered with a dense accumulation of villi, giving the spider a shaggy appearance. The colors are very different, each subspecies has its own tones. But, basically, the color is quite dark, interspersed with bright splashes throughout the body. With age, spiders tend to change color.

Where do tarantula spiders live?

These animals inhabit absolutely the entire territory of South America, Africa, as well as Australia and Oceania. In the European part of the Eurasian continent, separate populations are found in Portugal, Italy and Spain.

Lifestyle in the natural environment of the tarantula spider

Tarantula spiders are classified as poisonous spiders.

Different subspecies of tarantulas lead a varied lifestyle: some live in trees, some in the ground or burrows, and some prefer life in bushes.

Tarantulas hunt by sitting in ambush for a long time. Even when the spider is hungry, it motionless and patiently waits for its prey. In general, these animals are not very active, especially when they have completely satisfied their hunger.

Tarantula spiders are considered the longest-livers among all arthropods: they live for several decades (30 or more). Moreover, females live much longer than males.

What constitutes the diet of these spiders, and do they really eat birds?

All tarantula spiders are predatory animals. Despite the name, tarantulas prefer not birds at all, but insects and small arachnids. Larger individuals eat mice, frogs, fish, and bloodworms. But birds are still included in their diet, albeit very rarely.

How does the reproduction process of tarantula spiders occur in nature?

Males become sexually mature earlier than females. Males that are ripe for reproduction begin to weave a so-called “sperm web.” It contains the seminal fluid of the male. A special device called the cymbium on the male body is also filled with the same liquid. This “device” resembles containers located on one of the four pairs of limbs.

During mating games female and male, the seminal fluid enters the female body, fertilizing her. A peculiarity of mating in tarantula spiders is that the female becomes very aggressive after the fertilization process and can even eat the male in a fit of anger. Therefore, males immediately after mating try to hide away from the eyes of the angry future “mom”.

Tarantula spiders belong to the family of spiders and the suborder Mygalomorpha. Representatives of the Arthropod phylum and the Arachnida class are distinguished by their large size and very wide distribution.

Description of the tarantula spider

Tarantula spiders are also well known as tarantula spiders (Theraphosidae). This arthropod has a very exotic appearance, with characteristic long, hairy limbs and a striking, rich color that becomes more intense as a result of new molting.

This is interesting! The surface of the body, including the tarantula's legs, is covered with a cluster of dense villi, which gives the spider a very shaggy appearance, and the coloring is very different, depending on the characteristics of the subspecies.

Appearance

The number of tarantula species is slightly less than a thousand, and the appearance can vary dramatically depending on the species characteristics. Characteristic appearance The most common tarantulas are as follows:

• Acantoscurria geniculata- an interesting and fairly large terrestrial species with a very calm temperament and not at all aggressive. The body size of an adult is 8-10 cm with a leg span of 18-20 cm. It has a high growth rate;
• Acantosсurria musculosa– a medium-sized, very active, moderately aggressive and highly valued by lovers of domestic spiders, a burrowing/terrestrial species. The body size of an adult is 4.5-5.5 cm with a leg span of 12-13 cm. It has a high growth rate;
• Brachyrelma albisers– a very beautiful, fairly mobile and non-aggressive terrestrial tarantula. Completely non-aggressive. The body size of an adult is within 6-7 cm with a leg span of 14-16 cm. Varies average speed growth;
• Caribena (Ex.Avicularia) versicolor– one of the most beautiful, bright and spectacular representatives tree species. The body size of an adult reaches 5.5-6.5 cm with a leg span of 16-18 cm. It has an average growth rate;
• Seratogyrus darlingi- refers to very aggressive, but slow burrowing tarantulas, weaving a dense and abundant web and having a horn in the cephalothorax area. The body size of an adult does not exceed 5-6 cm with a leg span of 14 cm. It is characterized by a high growth rate;
• Chilobraсhys dyscolus "Black"- a large Asian burrowing tarantula with a truly black coloration at any instar stage. The adult female has a bright coal-black color. The body size of an adult is 6.5-7.5 cm with a leg span of 16-18 cm. It has an average growth rate;
• Chilobrachys dyscolus “Blue”- a large Asian burrowing tarantula with a bright blue-violet color, very aggressive and fast. The body size of an adult is 5.5-6.5 cm with a leg span of 16-18 cm. It has an average growth rate;
• Chilobrahys sp. "Kaeng Krashan"– a rare Asian terrestrial/burrowing tarantula with dark coloration of the limbs and body, up to charcoal black. The body size of an adult is 6.5-7 cm with a leg span of 16-18 cm. It has an average growth rate;
• Chromatorelma syaneorubessens- one of the most beautiful and calm species, weaving an abundant snow-white web, against which it looks especially original. The body size of an adult is 6.5-7 cm with a leg span of 15-16 cm. It has an average growth rate;
• Cyrioragorus lividum- incredibly fast and quite aggressive, with a rich bright blue color, a burrow representative. The body size of an adult is up to 5.5-6.5 cm with a leg span of 15 cm. It has an average growth rate;
• Davus fasciatus– a terrestrial/burrowing species of tarantula, magnificent in its behavior and color. The body size of an adult is 4.5-5.5 cm, with a leg span of 12-14 cm. It has a high growth rate;
• Euralaestrus сamprestratus– one of the unique representatives of terrestrial tarantulas with a very original color and well-defined hair. The body dimensions of an adult are 7.0-7.5 cm with a leg span of 16-17 cm. It is characterized by a low growth rate.

Particularly popular is Epheborus cyanognathus, which is a very bright and colorful representative of tarantulas. The body of this spider is painted in an original burgundy-red color with pronounced elements of a shade of green. The limb segments have transverse yellow stripes, and the chelicerae are distinguished by a clearly visible and bright bluish-violet color.

Lifestyle and character

Species characteristics have a significant impact on the lifestyle and basic character traits of tarantulas. All species of tarantulas are classified as poisonous spiders. Different subspecies of such arthropods lead different lifestyles.

Some of them live exclusively in trees, while many live in the ground or in special burrows. Some species are characterized by their location in bushes. Tarantula spiders hunt from ambush, motionless and waiting for their prey for a long time. Such arthropods are not very active, especially if the feeling of hunger is completely satisfied.

How long does a tarantula spider live?

A significant portion of tarantula spider species are long-lived arthropods that natural conditions and when kept in captivity they can live for several decades. Very characteristic feature tarantulas is that females can live much longer than male tarantulas.

The lifespan of tarantula spiders depends on temperature conditions, as well as an abundance of food supply. When feeding processes are delayed, life expectancy increases, and in sufficiently cold conditions the metabolism slows down, resulting in slower development of such arthropods.

Defense Mechanisms

For self-defense, the species Brachypelma albicers and Brachypelma verdezi, as well as some other species, shed their protective hairs located in the abdomen. And the species Avicularia spp., in case of danger, takes a defensive stance, and also raises its abdomen at the top and can attack the attacker with its feces. However, thanks very much high speed when moving, this type prefers to simply hide from his enemies by fleeing.

As many years of observations show, tarantula spiders have three types of defense mechanisms that protect arthropods from various external enemies:

• biting;
• the use of burning hairs located on the abdomen;
• attack by spider excrement.

Tarantula spider bites combine not only the painful sensations that accompany the process of piercing the skin, but also the effect of the injected poison. The body's reaction to a spider bite is strictly individual. Some people experience mild itching and a headache, while a highly sensitive person may experience intense fever and severe inflammation. However, today, deaths in humans from the bite of any tarantula have not been recorded.

Stinging hairs are located on the abdomen of tarantulas, and upon contact with skin, in humans and animals, quite strong allergic reaction. This type defense mechanism formed in an arthropod to protect oviposition. Similar hairs are woven by female spiders into the web or directly into the cocoon with eggs.

Range and habitats

Tarantula spiders have become quite widespread throughout almost all to the globe, and the only exception is Antarctica. Such arthropods live in Africa and South America, Australia and Oceania, and are also somewhat less common in European countries where their habitat is limited southern part Italy, Portugal and Spain.

Some tarantula spiders prefer to live in humid tropical, as well as equatorial forests. The most drought-resistant species inhabit semi-deserts.

Feeding and prey of the tarantula

The tarantula's diet is not very varied. Such spiders have an external type of digestion. The caught prey is immobilized, after which digestive juice is introduced into it, and after a certain period of time, not exceeding a day, the tarantula sucks out the liquid nutritional contents from its prey.

A significant part of the tarantula's diet consists of live insects, the size of which is not too large, which prevents fights between the arthropod and its prey. The largest representatives of tarantula spiders are capable of using small vertebrates in the form of naked mice as food. Also, in captivity, arthropods can be fed with small pieces of lean raw meat. The diet of sexually mature tarantulas often includes adult crickets, grasshoppers, large species of cockroaches, and mealworms.

This is interesting! The number of food insects in the diet of an adult individual, as a rule, does not exceed a quarter or a third of the body weight of the spider itself.

When kept in captivity, young and frequently molting tarantulas should be fed approximately a couple of times a week, while adults should be fed once every seven to ten days. Feeding frequency tends to increase before the breeding season begins. Refusal of food is observed at the stage of active molting, at low temperatures or in conditions of severe fullness of the stomach.

Tarantula spiders, for reasons currently unknown to science, can easily starve for almost two years, and a feature of some species is the ability to swim and even dive.

Tarantula spiders belong to the spider family. Adults reach large sizes, sometimes exceeding 20 cm in paw span. These spiders are often used as pets.

Tarantulas are found on every continent except Antarctica. True, they are rare in Europe, but rain-forest and even hot desert these spiders like it. Strict predators - tarantulas best assimilate not meat food, and insects: flies, small spiders, etc. They can eat both frogs and small rodents. Tarantulas tend to ambush their prey, without web traps. However, they use their spider power to fortify their home.

Habitat and life cycles of spiders

These arthropods live in trees, the ground and in burrows. They are characterized by calm behavior, they do not like to be disturbed, and can go hungry for a long time so as not to disturb their peace. Spiders are born from eggs, survive two molts, develop into larvae, and then reach adulthood.

The lifespan of a spider is measured in molts. Shedding the old shell, they increase up to one and a half times. The lifespan and growth of spiders depend on temperature and food availability. Sometimes when molting, spiders cannot pull their legs out of the old “body”. They have to leave their limbs in the old skin and wait for new ones to grow. This usually requires another 3-4 molts.

Life in captivity and breeding characteristics of tarantulas

All tarantulas are poisonous. True, in varying degrees. An adult bitten by this spider will not die, but will experience severe pain, convulsions, and fever. But the cat or small child may die. The burning hairs of these arthropods cause reactions similar to allergic ones. Some spiders of this family defend themselves by throwing a stream of excrement towards the enemy.

These spiders hold the record for longevity among terrestrial arthropods. Some specimens live up to 30 years. Moreover, females live longer than males. After mating, the female eats the male if he did not have time to leave. She then lays a cocoon containing 50-2000 eggs. While the lady is guarding the cocoon (6-7 weeks), she is very aggressive.

During its life, the spider changes color, which also depends on temperature. environment. In cool weather, spiders develop more slowly, which means they live longer. To maintain a home, tarantulas are caught in wildlife or bred in captivity. They are inexpensive and easy to care for. But the characteristics of the species should be taken into account in order to create the best conditions for it.

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